Holistic Nutrition Bytes--San Francisco Nutrition Consultation » Nutrition

No Time to Cook? Think Again

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:08:05 +0000

One of the biggest challenges I face with clients is talking them into the fact that preparing and eating real food doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen doing prep work and cooking. It takes just as much time waiting in line at a fast food joint as it does to throw something healthful together if you’re pressed for time, provided you have the right staples on hand for time crunch situations. There are many solutions for the “I got home late and don’t have time to cook” scenario. (or just plain “I don’t feel like cooking.”)

First and foremost, make time to plan for your week’s meals. I tell clients: just as you would sit down on a Sunday evening and plan out what you need to do for the work week, do the same for your meals. Nourishing yourself is important! Don’t let it be an afterthought. Make yourself a meal plan–what will you cook and when? Then make a grocery list and hit the store. My usual routine includes making something a little more involved on a Sunday, when I can dedicate a couple hours to cooking and prep. I’ll roast a chicken with root vegetables and make a batch of kale, for example. The leftovers can easily be adapted into chicken salad (just dice, mix with mustard and chopped celery; top with paprika; enjoy over greens or in butter lettuce leaves) or shredded over greens. That should take you til Wednesday or so, then you can make something a little quicker to take you through til the weekend. I’ll often do a crock pot meal at this point during the week since the prep work is so quick and the meat always turns out so well.

The crock pot ia your friend here. You do have to plan a bit ahead — but if you have staples on hand, you can put something together in the morning and set it before work. You can even add frozen meat to the crock pot. Seriously, it takes minutes to chuck a hunk of meat in the crock pot in the morning (or overnight), and 7-8 hours later you have deliciously braised meat. Here is a short tutorial my business partner and I put together to show you just how easy it is:

You could use any type of meat here: chicken or turkey legs work really well, a pork shoulder, or a beef roast. You can add root veggies about halfway through if you’re home to supervise; otherwise, just whip up or roast a batch of veggies when you get home from work. Click here for a great recipe. Scroll down for the herb roasted root veggie sticks.

We all get caught in a pinch from time to time. It happens. If you keep a few staples on hand when you don’t feel like cooking, you will always have something to throw together and you won’t need to rely on take out or be tempted with junk food. Here are the staples you should have on hand:
Mixed greens
Almond butter, Tahini
Avocados
Garlic, onions
Root veggies – they keep well. Think carrots, beets, potatoes (NOT Idaho), turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, etc
Eggs (and make hardboiled eggs to have on hand, too)
Virgin unrefined coconut oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Flax oil
Balsamic vinegar
Veggie & chicken broth
Chicken breast and/or thighs (frozen, not skinless)
Frozen ground beef or buffalo
Organic frozen berries for smoothies
Chia seeds for fiber in smoothies
Lemons
Canned salmon—not tuna
Canned Sardines
Canned beans–Eden foods properly soaks and prepares their beans

Quick meal ideas:
Canned salmon flaked over mixed greens with diced avocado. Top with 15 second dressing. Click here for recipe.

Canned sardines with avocado and raw kraut

Defrost ground beef. Sautee together with garlic and onion and spices. Serve in butter lettuce leaves. Takes 10 minutes

Hard boiled egg diced with canned salmon, cannellini beans over mixed greens

Crock pot meals. Here is the basic formula:
1-3 organic turkey thighs, or 2 lbs chicken legs bone-in, or 3-4 lb beef roast, or 3-4 lb lamb leg or shoulder, or 2-3 lb pork butt or shoulder
1 large yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
2-4 carrots and/or other root veggies (beets, turnips, parsnips, yams, potatoes–work best when added halfway through, but ok to add in the beginning)
spices for whatever flavor profile you want to create (e.g. Italian spices, cumin, curry, garlic powder)
1-2 cups chicken, beef, or veggie broth, or red wine

Peel onion and scrub other root veggies. Cut everything into large chunks. For optimal results, season and sear hunk of meat on all sides in cast iron skillet, but this isn’t 100% necessary if you’re pressed for time. Coat bottom of crock pot with olive oil. Arrange onion on bottom of crock pot. Place meat on top, skin/fat side up. Arrange other root veggies on top. Cover with spices. Pour in broth, about 1-2 cups. Sprinkle a little sea salt and pepper over everything. Set crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4. Serve with green salad or kale/chard.

Brain Health

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:52:13 +0000

I am working on a book project on brain chemistry and it’s got me thinking (pun intended). How many of us know how to take good care of our brain? We hear a lot about heart health, but why doesn’t the brain get any love?

While not the largest organ (that honor goes to the liver, internally, and the skin, externally), the brain is arguably the most important, the command and control center of the nervous system. From wikipedia: “In a human, the cerebral cortex (the largest part) is estimated to contain 15–33 billion neurons, each connected by synapses to several thousand other neurons. These neurons communicate with one another by means of long protoplasmic fibers called axons, which carry trains of signal pulses called action potentials to distant parts of the brain or body targeting specific recipient cells. From an evolutionary-biological point of view, the function of the brain is to exert centralized control over the other organs of the body. The brain acts on the rest of the body either by generating patterns of muscle activity or by driving secretion of chemicals called hormones. This centralized control allows rapid and coordinated responses to changes in the environment.”

Basically, this means your brain is in charge of both voluntary and involuntary functions. Due to the toxic nature of our food supply and environment, the brain comes into contact with various neurotoxins that cross the blood-brain barrier (in charge of keeping harmful stuff out of the brain) and have the ability to cause major damage. Neurotoxins adversely affect brain tissue and neuron bundles, affecting cognition, mood, motor skills, etc. Examples are heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum); chemicals found in cleaning products, body care products, etc; pollution; pesticides and herbicides, to name a few.

So your brain is always firing. Let’s talk neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are endogenous (internal) chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse, potentiating some kind of action, whether it be inhibitory or excitatory. Examples of neurotransmitters are feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin & dopamine, responsible for mood, weight control, sex drive and sleep; GABA, which has a calming effect; and epinephrine & norepinephrine. So these neurotransmitters need to transmit these signals to and from neurons, but when the neuron bundles are damaged, the neurotransmitters can’t communicate, and there is a kind of misfire.

neuron bundles & synapse

It’s like a damaged wire that still has the same amount of electricity pulsing through it but not as much reaches the destination because the wire is frayed. Then, shit starts to go awry: you get depressed, anxious, overweight, have memory problems, even Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. All these conditions are linked to insufficiency of neurotransmitters. Addiction, compulsive overeating/eating disorders, obesity, drug abuse and alcoholism are all signs of neurotransmitter insufficiency. If your brain can’t generate and transmit the chemicals that make you feel good, you’ll seek the effects from outside sources, and food/booze/drugs plug up the same receptors in the brain as the neurotransmitters should.

SO. How to take care of all that grey matter? First off, diet. Here is an example of a brain-unhealthy diet: sugary cereal and lowfat milk for breakfast (sugar is bad, duh, and lowfat milk has no good fats, and the pasteurization kills all the beneficial enzymes/bacteria anyway); sandwich and chips for lunch (chips probably have MSG, which causes neuron bundle damage/brain cell death) and diet soda (aspartame and fake sugars also cause brain cell death and neuron bundle damage); TV dinner (no, that’s just too easy what with all the chemicals, preservatives, refined/processed foods, and bad fats); let’s say pasta with canned sauce (preservatives = chemicals). The brain is over 60 percent fat, so give it good omega 3s found in salmon, walnuts, leafy greens, grass fed beef/lamb, raw milk. You also need adequate protein, because proteins are amino acids that the body uses to synthesize neurotransmitters. I can’t tell you how many depressed vegetarians I’ve worked with. Soy is not the answer! (Click here to read why). Get organic animal proteins: chicken, grass fed beef/buffalo, wild fish/shrimp, raw milk if you can do dairy, eggs, lamb. As I mentioned, Good fats are essential, especially the omega 3s, but also coconut oil & butter–the brain, and cell membranes need saturated fats. Equally important is to avoid hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids! Also avoid vegetable oils, and use seed oils (such as grapeseed or sesame) sparingly, if at all. Of course, the rest of your diet should be filled with veggies of all kinds.

Sticking to a gluten free–protein—good fat–veggie-based diet will decrease most inflammation you have in the digestive tract. Gluten, dairy, sugar, drugs (legal and otherwise) and booze are all digestive irritants that increase inflammation. You don’t want inflammation. This is key because if you have an inflamed gut, you will not absorb the nutrients from your food, so even if you’re getting adequate amounts of everything, the raw materials won’t be there to synthesize neurotransmitters and provide fuel to the brain. Also (and interestingly), the brain and gut and intimately connected, so if you have an inflamed gut, chances are high that you have an inflamed brain, too. Read more here.

You also want to make sure you’re adequately detoxing, because all the chemicals we encounter take a toll. Some of us are equipped with better detox systems (the liver, primarily) than others. Keep your liver happy so it can get rid of the chemicals & heavy metals we come in contact with. Remember that your liver has to detox every single thing you eat, breathe, drink, swallow, and apply to your skin, so keep it happy by eating clean, reducing chemical exposure (go for natural products always), and occasionally liver cleansing. Twice a year is good. Read more here.

Here are some additional pointers:
–reduce stress. Stress = high cortisol, which puts the body in a state of permanent fight or flight mode. High cortisol also burns out neurotransmitters. So, relax! Deep breathing and just 5-10 minutes of meditation daily will help. Yoga and exercise, too.

–get good sleep. This is important for brain health, stress reduction, and weight management. Aim for 8-9 hours. Read more here.

–aside from exercise, exercise your brain too! do crosswords or word games, and use your non dominant hand for tasks from time to time. This helps fuse new neuronal pathways.

–as i mentioned earlier, eat & live clean and green. Buy organic meats always and veggies/fruits where possible. Buy natural cleaning & body care products.

–take a vitamin D supplement (we’re very deficient, as a nation); a krill or cod liver oil supplement for extra omegas; and a good probiotic for gut health. B vitamins are excellent for cognition, too. Anything that supports circulation helps, too, so get enough vitamin C (you can take up to 2,000 mg in divided doses of 500mg each), and gingko biloba is a great herb to include.

Here is a great brain-healthy EASY recipe:
Roasted Salmon, no frills
Get as much or as little salmon as you like, always wild. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Top with lemon slices and roast at 375 for about 15-20 minutes. Check after 10 minutes. Don’t overcook it–it will still be a little pink in the center but should flake easily. Serve with my kale-bacon-brussels hash (click here for recipe).

Using Coconut Oil Therapeutically

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:20:26 +0000

coconut oil is solid at room temp

We’ve been hearing a lot about the beneficial uses of coconut oil recently. Even Dr. Oz is now promoting coconut oil as a healthy fat. Coconut oil is a plant-based saturated fat, and the saturated fats have been wrongly and mercilessly demonized by the mainstream medical industry. This is slowly beginning to change. At one point, saturated fats were blamed for high cholesterol and heart disease. I have written here and here about why that’s not true and why fat is beneficial. We need fats for good health. Your brain is over 70 percent fat, and each and every cell membrane needs fat to maintain its permeability so that nutrients can get into the cell. Too many man made hydrogenated fats (the true bad kinds) make cell walls rigid so that nutrients can’t pass through.

Back to coconut oil. The ‘saturated fats are bad’ paradigm is beginning to change now that we know how fats really work in the body. In the 80s, we were told tropical oils like coconut and red palm were the killers, and it was all low fat this and that and an explosion of vegetable oils. Did heart disease rates decline? Opposite, actually, due to an increase in heavily refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils and the man made hydrogenated fats/trans fatty acids. For more info on this, read Bruce Fife’s book, The Coconut Oil Miracle and read my post here. Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid and about 50 percent lauric acid, a component in human breast milk. It has myriad therapeutic benefits used both internally and externally. Clinical studies have shown that coconut oil has anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-pathogenic properties, making it effective in the treatment of everything from candida to herpes to Alzheimer’s (remember, the brain needs fat) to AIDS. Coconut oil possesses the following benefits:
-weight loss
-boost thyroid function
-boost metabolism
-improve immune function
-fight yeast (candida) used both internally or topically for fungus
-improve the health of both skin and hair
-improve dental health

Just look at the traditional South Pacific and Polynesian cultures, who traditionally have low rates of cardiovascular disease due to their regular use of coconut oil. Industrialized cultures and the refined and processed foods that come along with it lead to poor health. Highly processed and refined soy, canola, corn and cottonseed oils are the real bad guys.

So as I mentioned, coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid that the body burns quickly for energy. By contrast, vegetable or seed oils are long chain fatty acids that are difficult for the body to break down and are predominantly stored as fat. Because it stimulates metabolism and boosts energy, coconut oil can boost thyroid function and contribute positively to weight loss efforts. I see a lot of low thyroid clients, and although hypothryoidism is complicated, coconut oil is one positive piece to throw into the mix of treating it. So, how to use it?

Therapeutically, you can use up to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil internally per day, with each meal. Obviously it’s great to use for cooking, which I’ll discuss. The dosage to boost energy and thyroid function, or for weight loss, will obviously depend on the person. Too much can cause loose stool, or if you don’t digest fats well due to poor gall bladder function or congested liver/gall bladder, this may not be ideal for you, and you may fare better just using coconut oil for cooking. Otherwise, start off with a tablespoon and work up from there, up to 3 tablespoons to see benefits.

Topically, use coconut oil on your skin and hair. I use it at night on my face and it is lovely. My skin loves it. Great for the scalp, too, due to its anti-fungal properties, so you can massage scalp with it to prevent/get rid of dandruff. Use it on fungal infections or any skin condition, even eczema. I’ve heard of folks using coconut oil topically on the neck area where the thyroid is located to boost thyroid function, but I don’t have any direct research saying this works. It’s basically an all around healing balm!

As a saturated fat, solid at room temp, coconut oil (and palm oils too) is a great choice for cooking because it holds up well to heat. Read more here about how to use fats in cooking. Use for high temp sauteing or searing meat. I’ll use it in the pan when I sear meat on both sides before transferring to the oven.

Buy virgin unrefined coconut oils. It should smell vaguely of coconuts. This is true of any oil, really– it should smell like whatever it is. You don’t want the refined kind which has likely been exposed to hexane or chemical extraction methods. I like Tropical Traditions. Their coconut oils and creams are awesome. Also try the coconut cream, which is basically the meat ground finely into a paste. It’s very creamy due to the high fat content. I use it as a spread on gluten free toast, or you can eat it right out of the jar! Great for baking or desserts, or you can add to smoothies or warm drinks. Here’s a great dessert or snack recipe I got from Diane over at Balanced Bites. Also check out my vegan fudge recipe made with coconut oil, which also makes a great energy boosting snack!
Sweeter Free Chocolates
1/4c coconut oil
1/4c + 1Tbsp coconut creme
1/4c almond meal (I used my own homemade ground in a coffee or spice grinder)
3 Tbsp cocoa powder

Stir over a low flame to melt oil and coconut creme together and whisk in other ingredients. Pour into a mini muffin tin or ice cube tray into 12 portions and throw it in the fridge to solidify. Put raw cocoa nibs, coarse red salt and coconut shreds into the pan first for a fun topping when you flip them out of the tin.

Read more about coconut oil here:
Eat Fat Lose Fat by Dr Mary Enig & Sally Fallon
The Coconut Oil Miracle, by Bruce Fife
Eat Fat, Look Thin, by Bruce Fife

Quick & Easy Recipes

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:09:56 +0000

Many of you are resolving to eat better this year, but you may think it’s just too time consuming. With a little advance planning and some staples on hand, cooking and food prep becomes a breeze.

First off, invest in a crock pot! This is key for quick meal prep–then set it overnight to be ready for breakfast, or set in the AM when you leave for work so that dinner is ready when you get home. Basic formula is to brown a chunk of meat on all sides (you can even skip this step if you’re super pressed for time); rub with herbs; chop an onion and layer in bottom of crock; then place meat on top of it and set to low for 6-8 hours. Here’s a great recipe from Make it Paleo authors Bill Staley and Hayey Mason.

Easy Lamb Roast
Ingredients:
2.5 lb lamb roast, bone in
1 fist of garlic, cloves separated peeled and smashed
15 kalamata olives, plus 3 tablespoons of olive juice
One handful each of fresh rosemary and thyme (a tablespoon each of dried rosemary and thyme are also an option if you cannot get fresh herbs)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of water or broth

Process
Place lamb roast in a large crock pot.Top with garlic, olives, olive juice, salt, and pepper.Pour water into the bottom of the crock pot around the lamb.Place the herbs on top of the lamb, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. So easy!

Also, keep canned salmon and sardines on hand when you’re pressed for time, and you can flake out of the can onto salad greens and toss with dressing and avocado. Dinner in 5! If you’re absolutely too busy to put anything together, stop by Whole Foods and get a rotisserie chicken to shred over salad greens or sauteed spinach (which takes about 5 minutes to cook). Then you’ll have leftover chicken for the next couple days!

As I mentioned in my previous post, sit down on Sunday and make a list, then shop for the week’s meals. Cook a big batch or meat and veggies for Sunday dinner, then adapt into meals for the week for leftovers. With a little advance planning, it’s a breeze! No excuses.

Top Tips for Health in 2012

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:49:23 +0000

How many of you have resolved to make a health-related change for 2012? Most of us resolve to lose weight or begin an exercise regime. How long does it take for you to lapse back into old habits? The beginning of a new year can be a great time to make changes, but I’ve included a list of wellness tips for you to work on all year. These tips will support health, weight loss, and overall balance. Strive to achieve as many as possible within the next month. Or, pick one and really focus on that before moving to the next goal.

1) Get moving! Exercise is key to good health. It keeps you feeling (and looking) young, burns off stress hormones, fosters better sleep, and keeps you looking good. You don’t have to get out there are pound the pavement for hours. 20 minutes of burst training at least 3 times weekly is all you need. Do yoga or strength training or pilates on the off days.

2) Get more (and better) sleep. Most of us feel guilty for sleeping more than 6 or 7 hours, but we need at least 8-9 hours for good health. Get in bed earlier, 11pm latest, and practice good sleep hygiene. Read my sleep hygiene tips here. Sleep in complete darkness so that melatonin production kicks in. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals and keeps you looking young and vibrant. Get blackout curtains and keep excess electronics out of the bedroom.

3) Sit down on Sunday and plan out your meals for the week. We put so much time into thinking about how we’ll plan our weeks work-wise, but we rarely think ahead planning meals until it’s noon and your stomach is growling. Think about what you want to cook for the week ahead, make a list, go shopping, make a big batch of meat and veggies on Sunday, then adapt the leftovers into meals for the next few days until you can cook again.

4) If you buy only one food organic, make it meat. The antibiotics and hormones in conventional factory farmed meats are toxic and create hormonal imbalances (estrogen dominance) in both men and women. The conditions under which the animals are treated are deplorable.

5) Eat more leafy greens! Try some kale, chard, beet or turnip greens, collards, dandelion greens, and spinach. These are true superfoods that are rich in minerals and antioxidants. Make a big batch. They keep well.

6) Stop drinking diet soda for GOOD. Read why here.

7) Drink more water (instead of soda). It flushes toxins and regulates metabolism. Add cucumber, lemon, or lime slices to spice up your water if you get bored.

Sip bone broth. It’s mineral rich, helps cravings, and has restorative properties. Save the bones from roasted chicken; save egg shells; save other bones and keep in the freezer until ready to use. Recipe here.
9) Cut down on coffee and switch to green tea. Coffee is acidic, leaches minerals from the bones, leads to blood sugar disruption, and affects sleep. Green tea is antioxidant and mineral rich and contains less than half the caffeine of coffee.

10) Practice kindness and compassion. Smile more. Make a concerted effort to compliment someone every day. Think about your contributions to the world and how you’ll share your gifts. Avoid negativity. Do your best to be the best version of yourself.

The Diet Soda Dilemma

admin — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:55:58 +0000

A new year is upon us, and if you’re still drinking diet drinks of any kind that contain fake sugar substitutes (aspartame, sweet n low, nutra sweet, equal, etc), your resolution should be to quit immediately! If you drink diet sodas or use chemical sugar substitutes thinking you’re avoiding sugar and weight gain, think again. Diet sodas may actually double your risk of obesity. The study from this linked article shows that the participants were 65 percent more likely to be overweight if they consumed one diet soda a day compared to if they drank none. Two or more low- or no-calorie soft drinks raised the odds of becoming obese or overweight even higher. Those who drank diet soda had a greater chance of becoming overweight than participants who drank regular soda.

That’s right. Diet sodas may cause weight gain. How could this be? Drinking artificially sweetened beverages (and eating other sugar free diet foods) “tricks” the pancreas into releasing insulin, which increases fat storage, spikes appetite and carb cravings, and stimulates appetite, leading to overeating and weight gain. Increased insulin has been linked to heart disease.

Adding insult to injury, aspartame, the artificial chemical that makes diet sodas sweet, is neurotoxic, meaning it causes brain cell and neuron death. Neurotoxins are also classified as excitotoxins, meaning they excite or stimulate your neural cells to death. These chemicals have been linked to 90+ side effects such as migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia (racing heart), insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain. No thanks.

Time to give this stuff up for good. Keep in mind that it takes about 21 days to break a habit and that it may be rough at first, but STICK WITH IT. Eventually the cravings will disappear. If you’re drinking soda for the sweet taste, you may experience sugar cravings. Click here for info on how to smash your sugar cravings. If you’re drinking it for the caffeine because you need a boost, switch to green tea. Or better yet, determine why you’re so tired: not enough sleep? Eating refined foods like (bread, pasta, wheat/white flour products or sugar) that make you crash?

Here are some substitutes if you are bored with water (a complaint I hear frequently). Remember that dehydration can also sabotage your weight loss efforts and slow your metabolism!
1. If you are bored with water, jazz it up with lemon, lime and/or cucumber slices, or even ginger.
2. Drink herbal teas throughout the day or make homemade iced tea to sip on.
3. Make your own “soda” with sparkling water and a splash or unsweetened cranberry (or add a little stevia) or pomegranate juice.

How Not to Gain Weight This Holiday Season

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:46:18 +0000

It’s been said that the average adult gains over five pounds over the holiday season, but more recent studies say holiday weight gain is as little as one pound. Either way, we all tend to indulge a bit more than usual, so I’ve come up with some tips to help you stay on track til the new year (when everyone hits the gym!).

1) Sugary indulgences and too much booze make a body acidic, and an acidic body is more prone to inflammation, pain, and degenerative conditions. To restore alkalinity, drink an 8 ounce glass of hot water with the juice from a 1/2 a lemon. You can also add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to help rev up your metabolism and strengthen immunity. This is especially good if you stayed out too late and are hungover, as this drink is cleansing for the liver. Don’t hit the coffee too hard–it’s very acidic. Stick to green tea or coconut water (both good for hangovers!)

2) Enjoy a protein rich breakfast within an hour of waking. This means exclude cereals, oatmeal, pastries, and bread products, all of which break down into sugar and are low in protein, leading to a crash and sugar cravings later. Try an egg-veggie scramble or chicken apple sausage with spinach (both ready in 10 minutes).

3) Chew your food slowly and eat mindfully! It’s easy to pop handfuls of treats during the day when the candy dish overfloweth, but ask yourself if you really want that third truffle, and slowly enjoy the treats you do indulge in.
Concentrate on chewing each bite of food 30 times. Mindful eating is one of the most powerful ways to enjoy and absorb nutrients from food.

4) When you are under the urge to overeat or indulge in unhealthy snacking, make yourself a cup of green or herbal tea or drink a glass of water. We often mistaken thirst for hunger.

5) Get plenty of probiotic foods. My fave is raw kraut. Or take a probiotic supplement to keep your internal terrain balanced and healthy. Probiotics feed the good bacteria in your digestive tract, enhance digestion, combat bad yeast that contribute to sugar cravings, and boost immunity.

6) While alcoholic beverages add to the celebratory nature of the holidays, they pack a lot of calories without nutrients, cause cellular damage, and lead to overeating. Cut down on alcohol consumption by drinking a glass of water after each alcoholic drink you imbibe. Good choices are champagne, red wine, or vodka/club soda. Try not to exceed two drinks.

Prevent party pig-out: DON’T ARRIVE AT PARTY HUNGRY
Avoid refined foods like gluten & sugar which trigger cravings before events. Include fiber, protein, and good fats like butter, coconut oil, or olive oil in every meal to help you feel full. It’s the refined foods like pretzels that make you hungry. Survey the entire food spread first, then choose a few things that you really want–avoid the breaded, fried, or gluten-based foods and stick to the protein-based apps like shrimp, eggs, salmon, or meatballs.

See previous post for tips to avoid and kick sugar cravings.

Quick party tips:
• Don’t hover around buffet tables at parties. Avoid auto-grazing by staying as far from the buffet as possible.
• Watch your portion sizes. Use a smaller plate, and do not go back for seconds. Enjoy the food and be satisfied with one plate.
• Avoid high-calorie drinks such as eggnog. Be aware that eating sugar makes you want more.
• Reach for the healthy, non-starchy carbohydrates such as veggies. They are a better choice than crackers and cheese, chicken wings, roasted nuts, and cookies.

Have fun out there!

Smash Sugar Cravings (recipe included!)

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:23:11 +0000

Holidays mean cookies, booze, parties, SUGAR! Think you have no willpower? Think again. You can overcome sugar cravings and avoid falling victim to the dessert tray. I’ll share some tips.

First off to get you motivated, let’s look at the ways sugar wrongs us.
Sugar:
* suppresses your immune system, LINKED TO CANCERS
* promotes weight gain and obesity
* disrupts the mineral balance (causing stress in the body)
* contributes to depression, anxiety and mood swings
* promotes gut dysbiosis or overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut, such as candida
* contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes
* can cause hormonal imbalances
* increases risk for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
* disrupt the body’s pH balance
* can cause hypoglycemia
* will reduce good HDL cholesterol and increase bad LDL cholesterol
* prohibits weight loss

You know how it is: once you have one, you can’t stop there. You have another and another, then you crave sugar and think about it all day. It’s an evil roller coaster. Stay off it.

Let’s say you start your morning with coffee and a pastry, or coffee and nothing at all. You probably feel pretty good until you crash, then you’re starving, jittery, anxious, moody, irritable. You eat, probably too much because you’re starving and you miscalculated your hunger needs, and you probably feel tired as all your energy is diverted into digestion. Or, you eat more sugar and put yourself back on the roller coaster. Or you get a wicked sugar craving later in the afternoon or evening. Your brain and body need glucose to survive. When your body perceives that blood sugar is getting too low (either from skipping meals, eating too much sugar, or starting your day with a sugary pastry or grain-based foods–like oatmeal–that break down into sugar), it sends you a signal that it needs fuel. You get hungry. When you eat sugar, in the form of white sugar, white flour (breaks down as sugar), alcohol, sodas, candy, cookies, pastries, etc, your body uses a hormone called insulin to transport the glucose to your cells for usage. When you eat too much sugar, too much insulin ushers too much glucose into cells, leaving not enough in your blood. This means your blood sugar has dropped too low, so you crave sugar again to bring the levels back up.

Tips:
-Start your day with protein and good fat: NOT cereals, bagels, oatmeal, croissants, or pastries. When your blood sugar drops too low and you crave sugar, what you actually need is protein. For breakfast have an egg scramble, a protein smoothie, or chicken sausages sauteed with spinach and topped with avocado.

-Eat every 4 hours to maintain stable blood sugar.

-Avoid grains at lunch. They (along with a grain-based breakfast) can contribute to the 3pm crash/sugar craving cycle. Stick to protein and veggies.

-Avoid sugar! Seems simple, but the more you eat, the more you’ll crave it. Save the desserts for special occasions, not every day.

-Before parties, eat a protein-based snack like organic cold cuts or beef jerky or hard boiled eggs or apple with almond butter. Don’t show up ravenous!

-Watch the booze intake: it’s pure sugar and can lead to hypoglycemia, making you hungry, likely to overeat, and prone to making poor choices when you do eat. Drink water between cocktails and try to cap it at 2 drinks.

Sugar cravings are more than just a mental struggle–there is a physiological reason you crave sugar, and once you’re on the rollercoaster, it’s hard to overcome. Don’t feel like a failure if you blow it–it goes way deeper than willpower, and all you need to do is get back on that horse the next day. Start off with 8 ounces hot water and the juice of 1/2 a lemon to detoxify, and drink green vegetable juices if you have access (celery, parsley, green apple, cucumber, ginger makes a nice blend) to alkalize the body (sugar is very acidic). Then stick to protein & veggies throughout the day.

If you’ve got it really bad, here are some tips:
-500 mg – 1000mg of glutamine really helps some people. Break open the capsules and empty under your tongue, then swallow with water.

-certain minerals like chromium help arrest sugar cravings–you can often find them in blood sugar balance blends with other herbs or nutrients to help stop sugar cravings. Examples are gymnema, alpha lipoic acid, and even cinnamon.

-have a cup of green tea. It may sound preposterous, but we sometimes mistake hunger or craving cues for thirst, and the minerals in green tea give you a boost. Minerals in general also help stop sugar cravings. Drink lots of green juices–very high in minerals!

-have a protein snack using suggestions above. As I mentioned, when blood sugar is low, you actually need protein, not sugar.

Enjoy the holiday season! Stick to dark chocolate or truffles over hard candy, and bring treats that don’t contain refined sugars to parties. It’s ok to treat yourself every once in a while. Try a few bites of a treat just once a week during the holidays, and don’t beat yourself up if you blow it. Remember that indulging every day will only make sugar cravings worse, so save the treats for parties and special occasions. You can start your sugar detox January 1!

In the meantime, here is my favorite awesome sugar free indulgent fudge recipe that will wow your friends.

Vegan Fudge
raw food, dairy free, no added sugar!
*note: for the most hassle free result, use food processor. you can also use blender, but it takes longer.

1 to 1 1/2 cup almond meal. You can use about 1 1/2 cup raw almonds, then grind in a food processor using S blade if you prefer OR buy at Trader Joe’s
1/2 cup organic unrefined virgin coconut oil, melted.
1 cup raw carob or unsweetened cocoa powder
1 to 2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup Monukka raisins or turkish apricots (this is about 4-5 chopped), soaked
4-5 tblsp water, from raisin/apricot soak

Place raisins or chopped apricots in small bowl and cover with boiling water, about 2 inches above raisins/apricots. Soak 5-10 minutes. Do not drain. Spoon out of bowl and reserve water and fruit separately.

Add almond meal, carob, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, fruit to food processor or blender; blend well. Add 4-5 tbsp of water from fruit soak and blend again. Add more for desired consistency; mixture should be thick like cookie dough. Note: if you are using blender, you’ll have to intermittently stir and re-blend until smooth.

Transfer to 7×7 glass pan. Refrigerate until coconut oil sets the batter like fudge. Keep refrigerated; lasts for weeks and freezes well. Cut into 25 or so squares.

Thanksgiving Desserts Redone

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:37:31 +0000

Last week I featured some twists on traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. This week I’ve included some better versions of holiday desserts, and both are dairy- and gluten-free! No added sugar to boot. Enjoy!

Better Pumpkin Pie (vegan, gluten free)
(you can find all these ingredients at Whole Foods)
FILLING
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (you can make it yourself by boiling or baking a pumpkin (sugar pies are the best, don’t use the skin) and then pureeing it) or use canned organic pumpkin.

sugar pie pumpkins are smaller than regular pumpking and have sweeter flesh, making them good for baking

1/3 cup xylitol (natural sweetener. I love xyltiol–it’s made from the birch tree and doesn’t disrupt blood sugar balance or feed bad bacteria in the gut like refined sugar.)
3 Tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 teaspoons arrowroot or kudzu root (to thicken)
1/2 cup coconut milk

CRUST:
1 cup ground pecans
1 cup ground rolled oats
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup maple syrup, or soaked & processed dates
1/4 cup olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin puree, xylitol, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, arrowroot, and coconut milk, in batches if necessary. Process until the mixture is well combined and smooth.

Grind pecans and rolled oats in a blender. Mix all other ingredients together and press into a pie pan. Pour into the pie crust and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling has firmed up. Sometimes you will see the filling start to form cracks in it, which tells you it is getting firmer. Let cool. Serve with raw cashew cream (google and you get many options for recipes).
I adapted this recipe from nutritionist Darshana Weill.

Apple Tart (vegan, gluten free, no added sugar)

2½ cups walnuts
1½ cups dates
3 green apples, Granny Smith work well
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground clove
2 TBS honey
½ cup apple juice
¼ cup dried cranberries (optional)

Remove pits from dates and chop. Combine walnuts and dates in food processor. Process until well mixed and ground, but not smooth, about 40 seconds. It should be a coarse texture when done. Press evenly into a 9” tart pan. Set in refrigerator while making the filling. Slice apples by cutting into quarters. Cut out core and slice crosswise in ¼ inch thick slices. Place apples in a large skillet with rest of the ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently on medium heat. Remove apples with a slotted spoon from hot pan to a bowl and cool completely. Reduce liquid to about half the volume and cool separately. Spread apples evenly over crust. Brush syrup over apples if desired. Can be served right away or will keep in refrigerator until needed. Keep tart covered in refrigerator. Top with raw whipped cream if desired.

Twists on Traditional Thanksgiving, Part I

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:30:19 +0000

While you’re planning your thanksgiving menu this year, give these recipes a whirl. I’ve served them for holiday meals in the past, and they always impress. Typical Thanksgiving recipes are gluten and/or dairy-heavy, and those are the two foods that cause the post-meal crash snooze fest, not the turkey!

If you’re a sucker for stuffing, I’ve got you covered. Below is a paleo recipe from my colleague Diane over at Balanced Bites. Also, click here to try my alterna-mash that’s made with mineral rich root veggies over those terrible Idaho potatoes that cause major blood sugar spikes (sure to cause a crash later). Finally, this kale-bacon-brussels mash will convert the harshest kale critic. Infuse a little green into your Thanksgiving dinner!

Stay tuned for better desserts & pumpkin pies next week.

Grain-Free Sausage & Apple Stuffing / Dressing
(this really is all okay to make by-taste, all measurements here are approximate)
Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage meat
1 Tbsp butter or bacon fat or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped into 1/2″ pieces (medium-large)
3 stalks of celery, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
2 green apples, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
4-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
Sea salt & pepper to taste
1c chestnuts, roughly chopped (buy them pre-cooked or roast and shell them first)
1/4c dried cranberries (or fresh if you like ‘em tart- I used fresh)
1/4 c homemade chicken or turkey stock
Preparation
Brown the sausage then remove from the pan and set aside.
Sautée the onion, celery, apples and seasoning in either the remaining sausage fat or add some to the pan. Add the chestnuts (already roasted or bought pre-roasted from TJs), cranberries and stock and simmer together until well heated and the cranberries either hydrate a bit (if dried) or cook down and pop (if fresh). Add the sausage back in to combine all of the ingredients.